111th Brigade (111th Bde) was an infantry formation of the British Army during World War I. It was raised as part of 'Kitchener's Army' and was assigned to the 37th Division. After the original formations were renumbered, the numbers were transferred to a new brigade and division formed from unallocated 'Army Troops'. The brigade landed in France with 37th Division at the end of 1915 and then served on the Western Front for the rest of the war, seeing action at the Somme and the Ancre, at Arras and Ypres, during the German spring offensive and the final Hundred Days Offensive.

Original 111th Brigade

On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army. The newly appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.War Office Instructions No 32 (6 August) and No 37 (7 August).Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 2 & 8. The K2, K3 and K4 battalions, brigades and divisions followed soon afterwards. The flood of volunteers overwhelmed the ability of the army to absorb and organise them, and by the time the Fifth New Army (K5) was authorised on 10 December 1914, many of the units were already being organised as 'Pals battalions' under the auspices of mayors and corporations of towns up and down the country. The concept of a 'battalion of pals' serving together originated with the 'Stockbrokers Battalion' of the Royal Fusiliers raised in the City of London and was taken up enthusiastically by the Earl of Derby, a former soldier himself. 37th Division of K5 was recruited in Lancashire largely by his efforts; two of his brothers served in the division, and it was known as 'Lord Derby's Own', or more disparagingly as the 'Derby Family Retainers'.Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 1–9.Edmonds, 1916, p. 326.James, p. 49.Liddle, p. 111.O'Neill, pp. 9–10.

The 37th Division authorised on 10 December 1914 consisted of 110th, 111th and 112th Brigades. 111th Brigade's original infantry units were 'Manchester Pals' battalions, which had been recruited by the Lord Mayor and City of Manchester from 28 August 1914:Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 1–9, Appendix 2.30th Division at Long, Long Trail.James, p. 52.Manchester Regiment at Long, Long Trail.War Office Instruction No 56 of September 1915, Appendix IX. 16th (Service) Battalion, Manchester Regiment (1st City) 17th (Service) Battalion, Manchester Regiment (2nd City) 18th (Service) Battalion, Manchester Regiment (3rd City) 19th (Service) Battalion, Manchester Regiment (4th City)

The brigade carried out its initial training at Heaton Park, but was hampered by the same lack of equipment as the other Kitchener units. In April 1915 the War Office decided to convert the six K4 Divisions (30th–35th) into reserve units to supply reinforcements for the K1–K3 units. The first six K5 divisions (37–42) and their constituent brigades were then given the numbers of the disbanded K4 formations on 27 April 1915. Thus 111th Brigade of 37th Division became the new 90th Brigade in 30th Division. At the same time the 44th Division, formed in March 1915 for the Sixth New Army (K6), took up the vacant position as 37th Division, and its 132nd Brigade was renumbered 111th Brigade.Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 71–9.37th Division at Long, Long Trail.

New 111th Brigade As authorised in March 1915, 44th (later 37th) Division consisted of 'spare' Kitchener battalions that had originally been assigned as 'Army Troops' for the New Armies (ie they were not assigned to a specific formation), and included the 'Stockbrokers', the original Pals Battalion. Its 132nd (later 111th) Brigade was organised as follows:O'Neill, p. 4. 10th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (Stockbrokers) – K2 battalion raised 21 August 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City of London, transferred March 1915 from Army Troops attached to 18th (Eastern) DivisionCarter, pp. 18–52.O'Neill, pp. 3, 9–10. 13th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (RF) – K3 battalion raised at Hounslow Barracks 13 September 1914, transferred March 1915 from Army Troops attached to 21st DivisionO'Neill, pp. 3, 13. 13th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) – K3 battalion raised at Peninsula Barracks, Winchester, 7 October 1914, transferred April 1915 from Army Troops attached to 21st DivisionJames, p. 95.Hare, p. 94. 13th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade (RB) – K3 battalion raised at Peninsula Barracks, Winchester, October 1914, transferred April 1915 from Army Troops attached to 21st DivisionJames, p. 111.

The brigade assembled around Salisbury Plain, with 10th RF and 13th KRRC at Windmill Hill, 13th RF at Ludgershall, and 13th RB at Andover. By the time they assembled, these battalions had all been in existence for some months and had already overcome the early difficulties of the Kitchener units: lack of uniforms, equipment, weapons and instructors. After three months' intensive training on Salisbury Plain, 37th Division was considered ready to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front. Advance parties left on 22 July, embarkation for Boulogne was carried out between 28 and 31 July, and by 2 August the division was concentrated around Tilques, near Saint-Omer.Carter, pp. 53–83.Rowlands, pp. 27–34.

Service

On arrival at the front the units of 37th Division were attached to those of 12th (Eastern) Division in the front line for instruction in trench warfare in the quiet sector near Armentières. At the end of August 37th Division entrained for Doullens and then marched to Foncquevillers in the Somme sector, where the BEF was taking over more of the line from French troops. The battalions took turns in the front line, and there was a steady trickle of casualties. From 23 to 27 September during the Battle of Loos the division was stationed at La Cauchie to act as reserve for the French Tenth Army's attack, but then returned to Foncquevillers and began alternating periods of trench holding with billets in Souastre through the autumn and winter. This routine continued until the end of January 1916, the trenches often being flooded during the winter. The battalions carried out a number of trench raidsCarter, pp. 86–122.O'Neill, p. 77.Rowlands, pp. 36–53.

In February the brigade went back into the line, taking over from the French some trenches at Le Gastineau, a few miles north of the Gommecourt Salient. It was quiet sector, apart from occasional artillery bombardments and raids. On 19 March 41st Division was withdrawn and marched back to the Doullens area to undergo a month's training. It then returned to billets in Humbercamps, just behind the line, where the usual working parties were supplied to the Royal Engineers (REs) until it took over the line again on 1 May.Carter, pp. 122–44.Rowlands, pp. 54–61.

At this time 111th Bde was joined by its auxiliary units: 111th Brigade Machine Gun (MG) Company, Machine Gun Corps – disembarked at Le Havre 25 February 1916 and joined 4 March 111th Trench Mortar Battery (TMB) – formed within the brigade as 111/1 and 111/2 by 3 May; combined into a single battery by 2 July; personnel seconded from the infantry battalions; equipped with 3-inch Stokes mortarsFarndale, Annex G.

Somme By June 1916 111th Bde had been in France almost a year and had still not participated in any major action, but the BEF was now preparing for that summer's 'Big Push' (the Battle of the Somme). The artillery bombardment began on 23 June and the assault was launched on 1 July. Initially, 37th Division was not involved. Then 111th Brigade was attached to 34th Division from 7 July as a temporary replacement for a brigade that had been shattered on the First day on the Somme. The fresh troops were immediately rushed to the front to assist with carrying and working parties. The trenches were exposed and badly battered by shellfire and the battalions suffered a steady toll of casualties. 13th RF was immediately assigned to an attack between Ovillers and Contalmaison. It was warned not to attack until ordered to do so, or until the flanking attacks were well ahead. By 08.25 the battalion had lost touch with brigade HQ, but the flanks had advanced so it moved forward out of touch with HQ or neighbours. It encountered little opposition and gained nearly to its objective. Next day the battalion was ordered to push on to the next line west of Contalmaison. In two days the battalion had pushed the line forward materially, captured a battery of field artillery, several machine guns and nearly 200 prisoners for casualties that were moderate by the standards of the Somme. 13th RB next went into action, attacking towards Pozières at 20.45 on 10 July after only 30 minutes' notice. It went 'over the top' into a storm of shrapnel shells and machine gun bullets, with the lines rapidly thinning. The leading companies got into the third line of enemy trenches opposite, but as the CO followed with the two support companies he received a message that the attack had been cancelled. He had to order his men to withdraw to their own trench through the curtain of enemy fire. The battalion lost roughly half its strength. It was relieved in the front line next morning by two companies of 10th RF. 111th Bde HQ, 13th KRRC and 10th RF now took over the left sector of 34th Division's front due east of La Boisselle.Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 41–9. 34th Division at Long, Long Trail.Carter, pp. 145–51.Miles, 1916, Vol II, pp. 13, 41, Sketch 7.O'Neill, pp. 115–6.Rowlands, pp. 62–8.Rowlands, pp. 69–73.Shakespear, pp. 54–8.

The Battle of Bazentin Ridge was launched before dawn on 14 July: 112th Bde attacked Pozières at 08.30 the following morning (15 July), supported by 111th Bde advancing up 'Sausage Valley' The leading waves of 112th Bde were held up short of Pozières by machine gun fire and the valley became full of bunched up battalions, which began to fall back to the cover of a sunken road. 10th RF gave new impetus to 112th Bde's attack but although fighting went on round the village all day it was not taken and the attacking brigades fell back to the remaining trenches. On 31 July 10th RF went up in support of 101st Bde which attacked on 3 August as part of the Battle of Pozières Ridge; this attack was a failure. 111th Brigade spent early August digging and wiring new trenches in the High Wood area, suffering casualties from enemy shellfire. until it was relieved on 18 August. 111th and 112th Bdes rejoined their own division on 22 August. 37th Division moved to the Calonne sector, where it trained and held the line among the coal tips until the autumn.Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 41–9.Carter, pp. 145–59, 168–79.Miles, 1916, Vol II, pp. 13, 97–8, 187.Rowlands, pp. 62–78.Shakespear, pp. 54–63, 68–9, 72.

Ancre